Shoe counter



A. C. ENGEL SHOE COUNTER vMuy 21, 1935.

Filed March 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZAM- May 21, 1935. A, ENGL 2,002,093

SHOE COUNTER Filed March 16, 1935 2 Sheetsshee1`v 2 I 'f1 verfor ARTHUR C. Eyes/ Kfa 14;/ :"/MNQ Patented May 21, 1935 Y UNITED STAT Sf PATENT v(,)IfflsljA i The present invention relatesto shoe countersA and blanks therefor, and more particularly- `to` counter-slof the molded-type. Counters of the above-described character have a back andtwo 15. oppositelydisposed sides; and they are so vrolled solas to impart to` their sides an exteriorly con-v aria.' shape,'in order` that the upperedges ofthe said sides may extend toward each othenand to cause a better fit against the correspondingly' shaped heel: portion of the foot. The interior structure of the material of` the counter becomes` violently deformed during the shaping process, l

so that the counter has a tendency,4 to return towardits original, unshaped condition. The said upper edges ofthe said `sides of the counters,

therefore, spring backgaway from each other, thus impairinglthe shape l'that itwas intended to impart to the counter by the rolling process'.` ,-Anobject of the invention is to minimize'this `spring-back tendency. V

`With thisfend in view, a feature of the invention residesA in lmaking the said sides ,ot the counternof non-uniform rigidity or thickness in regions. spaced between their upper `and `lower.

edges, preferably by digging a plurality of grooves disposed in substantially horizontal or inclined planes. There will then be less tendency forthe material of the counter toy work backv toits original, internal construction, so that the counter will tendto hold its shape, and the shoe A.will Afit' betten on the foot.

Other and further objectswill be explained hereinafter, and will be particularly :pointed out in the appended claims.` q

The invention will now be explained in connection `with theV accompanying.. drawings,A in

which Fig. 1 is a View of a counter. blank from Whichythe counter embodying the present `invention may be manufactured; Fig. 2 is a perspective of a preferred embodiment of the presentr invention, partly in section'upon the line 22.

l of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

upon-alarger scale than -in Fig; l; Fig. 3.is. a

the section being taken upon the `line.` @I1- 3` of Fig. 9, looking in` thedirections ofthe arrows; Fig. 4 is a perspective, on the same,larger scale,

i or a counter made from the blank shown in Figs.

` l-fand 2 ,inaccordance with` the present invengli tion; Fig,` 5v is a plan of a shoe,;fshowingin` dotted and dot-and-dash lines the relative positions 'oc cupied `by agcountergembodying the present invention and, agcounter of the priorart;,1ig;..6.i`s

^ counter.

lan elevation of thefsama the counter of the present invention being shown in dotted lines; Figs. 7 and 8 are perspectives of modied counters embodying the present invention;` and Fig. 9 is a section taken upon the line 99 of Fig. 3,' looking in the direction of the arrows, but upon a smaller scale than in Fig. 3.

The counterof thepresent invention is ofthe type that is made of sheet material, such as leather or nbre." It may be made from a sheet blank, such'as is shown in Fig. l, having sides! 4` and 6 extending in opposite directions from its intermediate part, which intermediate part constitutes the back of the completed and shaped The blank is passed between convex and concave'rollers I and 2 and then between the convex roller I and a Vconcave die or mold I` thatis pressed towards the'convex roller I by a stiff spring 9.Y A transversely curvedshape, as illustrated in section in Figs. 2 and 3, is thus irnparted to the blank. After the'counter has been molded into U-form, asshown more particularly in Figs. 4, 7 and 8, its sides 4 and 6, because of the convexity imparted to the counter blank byV the rollers I and 2 and the cup l, will be exteriorly` convexedly curved, so that theupper, skived edges 3 land 5 ofthe sides `4 and 8 will extend toward each other, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. As the leather, bre or other material'of which the counter is made tends towork back, orbe-` comerestored, to its original, unmolded and .unrolled ori otherwise undeformedvshape, particularly because the counter is worked in temper or moisture, the upper edges 3 andf5 of the sides 4 and 6 of the counter tend to spring back from,v the dotted lines 3 and 5 to the dot-and-dash lines 23 and-2l of Fig. 5. This destroys the shape of the shoe and the t upon the foot; and is particularly objectionable when the fibre board is con-V stituted of a vegetable pulp product, impregnated with sizingY treated -with wax or a similar substanceduring the abovedescribed rolling process between the rolls I and 3 and the cup-shaped die `I, as this rolling process tends to solidify the irnpregnating sizing and the wax into the counter and fixits shape'and stiffenvit against change of shape, so 'that any tendency later tovdeform it during' the U-shaping process is greatly resisted bythe resulting internal constitution of the counter. Y

According to a preferred embodiment` of the` present invention, this is prevented by making the' counter of less thickness or rigidity in regions 25A`s`paced between the upperA edges 3 and 5,01 thefsidesl andIB andthe inturned bottom flange 2mal-.

8 than in the regions 21 vbetween the regions 25. Because of the less thickness or rigidity of the material of the counter in the regions at portions of the counter substantially removed from the back of the counter, there is less tendency for the stock to work back to its original molecular constitution, with the result that, after the upper edges 3 and 5 have been thrown forward toward the lines ofthe foot by the above-described rolling and molding operations, the counter will hold.V

the above-described rolled or curved shape,illus trated by the dotted lines 3 and 5 in Fig. 5; and

will not work back toward the dot-and-dash lines 23 and 2|.

The counter of the present invention, on-the other hand, retains its shape and exibility; in

' It is preferred to produce the desired result' of facilitating the sides 4 and 5 holding their curved shapeby grooving the counter along the regions 25. Preferably, the grooves may be in substantially horizontal planes, and separated from each other in each plane by walls 29 of substantially the same thickness as 'the thickness of the body with corrugations or teeth 3|, which will produce longer than the other side 6.

of the counter, constituted of the regions 21. To this end, the roll I, for example, may be provided the grooves 25 by working into the blank during the rolling process illustrated in Fig. 3. The teeth 3| are shown more or less V-shaped in section. Because of the presence of the teeth 3|, it is preferred to employ a stripper l0 to facilitate removing the convexed blankrfrom Ythe Vroll as it leaves the machine. Preferably as illustrated, the grooves extend, not through the entire wall of theY counter, butv only part way therei' into, from the inner surface of the counter outward, leaving the outer surface of the counter intact. The walls 2,9 are preferably Ymaderelatively verysmall, as illustrated,so as to providea greater aggregate area over which the grooves 25 are disposed. The Vgrooves 25 need not necessarily be all of the samedepth. On the contrary, the grooves near the edges 3 and 5, for example; will usually be of less depth than other grooves because the edges 3 and 5 are usually skived, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2. Such skived edges are usually less stiff than the body of the counter and do not, therefore, usually require so deep grooves 25.

The cost of manufacture ofthe counters of the present invention isA Vthus no greater than of counters made today; for the new counter, with all its advantages, is prepared by the same rolling operation as present-day counters.

rlhe present invention may be embodied in any type of counter, long or short, andV with equal or unequal sides 4 and 6. In Figs. 4 and 8, for example, the sidesd and 6 of the counter are of equal length; in Fig-fl,v the counter is shown as of the long type and, in Fig. 8, as of theA short type. The counter illustrated inFig. 7 has one side 4 It win also be understood that it is not strictly necessary that the grooves 25 be disposed in substantially horizontal planes. The planes of the grooves may be inclined somewhat, or even to a considerable degree. produced as described above.

Further modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art, and all such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A counter of deformed sheet material of U-shape for use in a shoe and having a back and two oppositely disposed sides, the sheet material being of a nature that has a tendency to become restored toward its undeformed condition, the counter having both its said sides exteriorly convexedly curved so that their upper edges extend toward each other, and portions of the said sides substantially removed from the said back of the counter being of less rigidity in regions spaced between the upper and lower edges of the said sides than in the regions between the spaced regions to facilitate their holding the said sides deformed, curved shape.

2.. A counter of deformed sheet material of U-shape for use in a shoe and having a back and two oppositely disposed sides, the sheet material being of a nature that has a tendency to become restored toward its undeformed condition, the counter having both its said sides exteriorly convexedly curved so that their upper edges extend toward each other, and portions of the said sides substantiallyremoved from the said back of the counter being of less thickness in regions spaced between the' upper and lower edges of the said sides than in the regions between the spacedV regions to facilitate their holding the said sides deformed, curved shape.

3. A counter of deformed sheet material of U-shape for use in a shoe and having a back and two oppositely disposed sides, the sheet material being of a nature that has a tendency to become restored toward its undeformed condition, the counter having both its said sides exteriorly convexedly curved so that their upper edges extend toward each other, and portions of the said sides substantially removed from the said back of the counter having a plurality of grooves to facilitate the said sides holding their deformed, curved shape.

4. A counter of sheet material molded into U-form for use in a shoe and having a back and two oppositely disposed sides and an inturned bottom ange, the said sides of the counter being exteriorly' convexedly curved so that their upper edges extend toward eachother, and portions of the said sides substantially removed from the said back of the counter having a plurality of grooves in regions spaced between the upper edges and the flange of the said sides to facilitate the said sides holding their curved shape, the grooves being separated from each other by walls of substantially the same thickness as the thickness of the body of the counter.

5. A sheet blank for a counter adapted to be shaped into U-form for use in a shoe, the blank being of material that has a tendency to become restored to its undeformecl condition after becoming deformed, the blank having two sides extending in opposite directions from an intermediate part, portions of the blank substantially removed from the said intermediate part being of less rigidity in regions spaced between the upper and lower edges yof the said sides than in other regions between the spaced regions.

6. vA sheet blank for a counter adapted to be shaped into U-form for use in a shoe, the blank The same effects will beA being of material that has a tendency to become restored to its undeformed condition after becoming deformed, the blank having two sides extending in opposite directions from an intermediate part, portions of the blank' substantially removed from the said intermediate part being of less thickness in regions spaced between the upper and lower edges of the said sides than in other regions between the spaced regions.

7, A sheet blank for a counter adapted to be shaped into U-form for use yin a, shoe, the blank being of `material that has a tendency to become restored to its undeforrned condition after be- Jcoming deformed, the blank'having two sides extending in opposite directionsfrom an intermediate part, portions of the blank substantially removed from the said intermediate part having a plurality of grooves.

8. A sheet blank for a counter adapted to be shaped into U-form for use in a shoe, the blank being of'material that has a tendency to become restored to its undeformed condition after ben coming deformed, the blank having two sides extending in opposite directions from an intermediate part, portions of the blank substantially removed from the said intermediate part having a plurality of grooves separated from each other by Walls of substantially the same thickness as the thickness of the body of the blank.

` ARTHUR C. ENGEL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,002,093. May 2l. v1935.

ARTHUR C. ENGEL.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, lines 21 and 35, claims l and 2 respectively, strike out the words "their holding"; and lines 22 and 36, of said claims, before "deformed" insert the words holding their; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day o June, A. D. 1935.

Bryan M. Battey (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents'. 

